OKEFORD FITZPAINE

St. Andrew

Sir Frederick Treves, who was the Surgeon General to the King, wrote in his book of 1906 'Highways and Byways in Dorset' that the village had derived its name from the family Fitzpaine.  They were excused payment of certain dues by King Henry III for their "good services to the King at the Battle of Lewis" (1264).  However there is a suggestion that the family were actually fighting against the King and had taken him prisoner and used his seal as they liked!

This is an interesting church with a tower which is a strange mixture of 14 and 15c.  The rest is Victorian, designed by John Hicks 1865-6.  There is an intriguing High Victorian font consisting of a stone bowl supported by three kneeling angels.  The pulpit is mainly in brilliant white with statuettes and is also Victorian.